Dance Over the Broken Bridge
by TheBlueFoxtrot A Samba
Summary: When things break and wear down, people will usually try and fix it themselves, especially the important things. Sometimes, it doesn't work.


Inferno of the Damned's Nursery Rhymes Challenge

Prompt: London Bridge is Falling Down

Well, you see, I had this really neat disclaimer where I tell you that I don't own DC characters or chocolate, but it, um…had a very nasty fall after hanging out with the YJ crew and called Superboy an 'it'.

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"The change was a subtle build up over time. The boy, the man…he's always been opinionated, always had a problem with any authority over him. He wasn't a sidekick and would take great pains to explain that to whoever would listen. Extensively.

"When his comments about me not treating him as an equal partner turned to fights, I just thought he was going through more of that period between teenager and adult and tried to work through it with the younger man.

"At first, I'd tried talking. And while I can sweet talk and charm a woman into just about anything, eighteen year old boys were another matter entirely. That had been as effective as trying to fix the London Bridge with wood and clay. How did that old rhyme go? Wood and clay wash away? Basically the same thing: in one ear, out the other.

"If Roy weren't so smart, I'd swear there was nothing but empty space between his ears.

"Let's see. After that, I let him to go on a few missions on his own. Nothing as insane as breaking into a League of Shadows stronghold on his own, but still enough that I'd practically panic-attack until the kid came home in one piece.

"He'd complain that the missions were too easy. Here I was trying to build trust – which we should already have had at that point that it wouldn't even be an issue – but Roy blew apart my efforts like one the trick arrows through bricks and mortar.

"I hadn't known what else to do to fix our partnership, because the more I tried, the more discontent he became with it.

"The very last – and according to Br – Batman, _stupidest_ – thing I could think of was extending a bit more trust to Roy by telling him a few things only a member of the League are allowed to know. I suppose that would have been the iron and steel for the bridge, in keeping with the analogy.

"That had bended and bowed out of place when Spee – _Red Arrow_ had announced his knowledge of the Watchtower during his rant.

"Batman had been _very_ displeased when I told him what else I told Roy. I hadn't been so verbally abused so brutally since my boarding school days when I flooded the girls' dormitory. Which, at the time, had been totally worth it.

"This time?

"I go home to find the kid's stuff gone, uniform tossed in the trash.

"This time, not so much.

"What Roy doesn't seem to understand and what I could never quite explain was that I _had _seen us as partners. I do respect Roy, and know that he's capable of being a great hero. But I also see him as my idiot, stubborn, pig-headed brother. As a part of the League, the whole game changes. Most of the villains he'd faced before were small time chumps compared to what he'd be dealing with.

"It meant more danger, more risk, greater chance of going out and _dying_. And that crazy, little ginger…I didn't want his dying on me.

"So _maybe_ I held him back. _Maybe _I was too cautious. And maybe me and Roy are never gonna be as close as we were.

"I did what I thought was right, in protecting and preparing the boy; _somehow _he turned full-fledged hero in his own right. I've done everything I could think to fix this partnership.

"Roy did everything he could to fight it. I tried to get in contact with him, but I've been ignored. He knows I hate being ignored. I even went as far to find his territory and all I got was outright hostility. When Roy showed up at Mt. Justice with a new outfit, spouting mission plans and orders a new name, I knew that was it.

"I tried to fix Arrow Bridge, but the watchman has stolen the silver and gold, left his smoking pipe to burn it to its foundation, and run off with fair lady leaving me to go through the smoking ashes."

Artemis blinked from her cross-legged position over-looking the docks they were patrolling. She sent her mentor a sideways look as he crouched next to her.

"If you monlogue'd with him this much, I'm telling you, _that_ is the reason he bailed on you," she stood and dusted off the seat of her pants. "First and last time I ask _you _if 'you wanna talk about it'."

"That's just cold, kid. I'm completely willing to girl talk with you."

He kept his eyes trained on the area below as he spotted their target's boat headed toward the dock. Artemis stared down at his mustache and snorted.

"I'll pass. I'd rather not revel in my teenage angst with a forty-year old guy who knows the London Bridge song. We gonna do this or not?"

Green Arrow sent her a half-hearted glare.

"I am not forty."

Without warning, he stood, jumped across to the roof of the next building, and kept running.

"Try and keep up, princess!" he called back.

"Cheater," she muttered before taking off after him.

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A/N: I'm not sure I like the ending :(

Please point out any mistakes, as it's 12 in the morning and my bed time was like 5 hours ago, so I'm sure I made a few.


End file.
